At some stage in a cricketer's career, age, not opposition, becomes the greatest obstacle to success. As the grey hairs bloom one by one, time begins to erode the faculties that served batsmen in their youth; the reflexes, the power in their shoulders, the fleet of foot.

Bowlers often have their decline laid out unmistakably - even empirically. The lighter hauls correlate with less generous assessments on the speed gun, or a reduction in revolutions and turn. But batsmen, who are more tightly tethered to the vagaries of form, are less sure which is a temporary slump and which is a permanent one.

Many trade in panache for consistency, and stave away father time that way. Men who once commanded vast arsenals of punishing strokes smelt their techniques down until only a few well-chosen weapons of torment remain.

Last month, Tillakaratne Dilshan turned 36. It is strange to think of him as the oldest member of the Sri Lankan team because age seems to have forgotten him, or he it. In the Powerplays, he fields at backward point, where the sharpest earn their keep. In the middle overs, he ranges the deep, square of the wicket, where only the quick survive. At the death, he is found guarding the straight boundaries, where he recently made a stunning take, leaning over the ropes, clinching Sri Lanka victory where they would have had defeat if the ball had hit the ground. Where are the cushy positions at short fine leg or mid on for Dilshan? He is doing the work of young men.

His batting continues to be defined by its chutzpah. He had watched the new ball move off the seam appreciably from the non-striker's end, yet when he saw Kyle Mills pitch the ball in the corridor on the first delivery he faced, Dilshan sent it screaming through the covers, despite the away movement. It is the same cover drive he played when he first appeared for Sri Lanka, a whirr of arms, wrists and blade. The attitude, if anything, has grown bolder.

He continued to flash at the balls he fancied, and almost always, they resulted in fours. The dilscoop had gone out of his game for a while, triggering talk of ailing reflexes, but it has been restored the same as ever. He didn't play the one that flies over the keeper against New Zealand, but he scooped Jacob Oram square of short fine leg once. He had tried that shot twice already, but two failures were not enough to deter him, even for a stroke as high in risk as that.

But his batting is not without its own method. Even the freest spirits need some semblance of structure within which to knead their talent. Once the field goes out, the dasher in Dilshan gives way to the opportunist. The gaps are mined, often and exhaustively. Every chance to eke a second is grasped. He scored more runs in twos than any other batsman in the match, and that is not a statistic he is a stranger to.

Moreover, hittable balls almost invariably end up at the fence. The stream of runs into the outfield give the impression that Dilshan has wound down his aggression, but he snaps at the poor balls so readily and viciously, it is as if the wild Dilshan was always just lurking beneath that composed veneer, awaiting the first chance to let rip. Having not hit a boundary in nine overs, Dilshan spotted a rank full toss from Nathan McCullum in the 19th over and was down the pitch in an instant to blast it over extra cover. A few overs later, Trent Boult overpitched, and Dilshan bludgeoned it back at him so savagely, the bowler gave no thought to completing a return catch as he ducked in self preservation. As an opener, Dilshan has 13 hundreds to his 14 fifties. Conversion rates like that don't materialise without a formula.

He also has every shot in the playbook, so manoeuvring the field, as he did today alongside Angelo Mathews, should prove easier for him with the new rule allowing only four men on the fence. "It's much easier with the new rule, because the bowlers must bowl better than they used to," Dilshan said after the match. "Even if they make a small mistake, it's easy to score runs because there are only four men out. We planned to conserve our wickets at the start so that we could score quickly later. If a batsman gets into a good position, it's easy to exploit the new rule."

In the 30th over, Sri Lanka only had 13 to get to win the match, but Dilshan needed ten more for a hundred. In two balls, he smote a four over cover and a six over square leg to get to triple figures. Later, he was asked whether pulling that delivery onto the bank was an unnecessary risk in pursuit of a personal milestone.

"Why shouldn't I play the pull?" was his response. "It's my favourite shot and I have made a lot of runs with it. I don't think it's a risk for me."

In almost every way, Dilshan's lustre remains undimmed by experience. He is as free, confident and warlike as he has always been. In a dressing room and a batting order where even the youngsters tend to be thoughtful and measured, the fire in Dilshan's bones is refreshing.

Agree Dilshan is simply one of the best cricketers Sri Lanka has ever produced. Only regret maybe he wasn't given more opportunity at a very young age. He could have been one of the all time greats of cricket. Not that he isn't already, but should be up there with the greats of cricket. I will certainly miss him when he decides to leave the stage. Hopefully he plays for many more years yet.

Mark
on November 8, 2012, 21:57 GMT

Well Played SL. New Zealand are actually are very good limited overs team in all countries as their long record has shown. So SL winning against NZ will hold them in good stead going forward building for a successful cricket future for Sri Lanka!

Supun
on November 8, 2012, 3:37 GMT

Dilshan is one of the best ODI players ever produced by Sri Lanka after Jayasuriya and Aravinda. Unfortunately he has not got much opportunity to show his talent during first 6-7 years of his career. He might have been dropped from the team if was not brought to open the inning for the team in 2009. It is one of the good decision made by Mahela & Co. It is needed to think of such a opener like Munaweera or Kapugedara before next world cup . Though Kapu has got a poor record as a middle order batsmen he has got the same characteristics as Dilshan . He too a good fielder and Clean Hitter

Dummy4
on November 8, 2012, 2:08 GMT

for sampath de silva,u asked why dilshan,sanga.mahela not getting rest.when we r wining matches u didn't asked like this.and why chandimal is not getting chance,chandimal can play only sangas place .and sanga is playing better then chandimal and the experience is more impotent. ,and most of the players have experience to play only there place.opener cant play 4h down .5,6 down he can play only open because he got experience to play has a opener that's because sanga and jayawerdena cant change there places,if they change its going to be like( achcharu aleyak).its not going to work,sanga ,mahela dilshan.still they can play good cricket more then any one and if can tell me without sanga,dili,mahela scoring.is there any match we win after sana gone.?anyway i hope they will play another 3.4years cricket and we ole our SRILANKAN cricketers,because of u most of the people know there is country good cricketers living and its call srilanka

2 centuries in Aus
1 century in England
1 in SA
1 in west indies
3 in Sri lanka(which for you guys is not a flat track)

Desmond
on November 7, 2012, 16:37 GMT

Let bhanuka rajapakse play more domestic matches before he think of coming to SL team ,there are better players than him at the moment.

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 15:28 GMT

brilliant knock...Dilly is back in form..but i guess all the seniors should be rested

Dumindu
on November 7, 2012, 14:02 GMT

No one can match him!
he is a Universal Hero.....!

J
on November 7, 2012, 13:55 GMT

Dilshan is probably the only TRUE all rounder cricket has ever seen. He bats very well, bowls appreciably, fields marvelously and also keeps reasonably well. Who know in future he might become and umpire, then a match referee and eventually an administrator.

Mark
on November 8, 2012, 22:09 GMT

Agree Dilshan is simply one of the best cricketers Sri Lanka has ever produced. Only regret maybe he wasn't given more opportunity at a very young age. He could have been one of the all time greats of cricket. Not that he isn't already, but should be up there with the greats of cricket. I will certainly miss him when he decides to leave the stage. Hopefully he plays for many more years yet.

Mark
on November 8, 2012, 21:57 GMT

Well Played SL. New Zealand are actually are very good limited overs team in all countries as their long record has shown. So SL winning against NZ will hold them in good stead going forward building for a successful cricket future for Sri Lanka!

Supun
on November 8, 2012, 3:37 GMT

Dilshan is one of the best ODI players ever produced by Sri Lanka after Jayasuriya and Aravinda. Unfortunately he has not got much opportunity to show his talent during first 6-7 years of his career. He might have been dropped from the team if was not brought to open the inning for the team in 2009. It is one of the good decision made by Mahela & Co. It is needed to think of such a opener like Munaweera or Kapugedara before next world cup . Though Kapu has got a poor record as a middle order batsmen he has got the same characteristics as Dilshan . He too a good fielder and Clean Hitter

Dummy4
on November 8, 2012, 2:08 GMT

for sampath de silva,u asked why dilshan,sanga.mahela not getting rest.when we r wining matches u didn't asked like this.and why chandimal is not getting chance,chandimal can play only sangas place .and sanga is playing better then chandimal and the experience is more impotent. ,and most of the players have experience to play only there place.opener cant play 4h down .5,6 down he can play only open because he got experience to play has a opener that's because sanga and jayawerdena cant change there places,if they change its going to be like( achcharu aleyak).its not going to work,sanga ,mahela dilshan.still they can play good cricket more then any one and if can tell me without sanga,dili,mahela scoring.is there any match we win after sana gone.?anyway i hope they will play another 3.4years cricket and we ole our SRILANKAN cricketers,because of u most of the people know there is country good cricketers living and its call srilanka

2 centuries in Aus
1 century in England
1 in SA
1 in west indies
3 in Sri lanka(which for you guys is not a flat track)

Desmond
on November 7, 2012, 16:37 GMT

Let bhanuka rajapakse play more domestic matches before he think of coming to SL team ,there are better players than him at the moment.

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 15:28 GMT

brilliant knock...Dilly is back in form..but i guess all the seniors should be rested

Dumindu
on November 7, 2012, 14:02 GMT

No one can match him!
he is a Universal Hero.....!

J
on November 7, 2012, 13:55 GMT

Dilshan is probably the only TRUE all rounder cricket has ever seen. He bats very well, bowls appreciably, fields marvelously and also keeps reasonably well. Who know in future he might become and umpire, then a match referee and eventually an administrator.

Chatty
on November 7, 2012, 11:12 GMT

sahbas_s: Dilshan has no problem on pacy pitches. He loves pace and bounce because he is great at playing the pull and hool shots. Remember, he is a Sri Lankan, not an Indian!

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 10:35 GMT

What is our selectors are doing with Hearth when we are having Young Dhanajaya and Tharindu Kaushal is in the bench...Why not rest Malinga and Kule..and give the chance to Shamindra Eranga...Why not resting Dilshan,Sanga,Mahela rotationaly and give the chance to Dynamic chandimal in the top order....Why not mahela and sanga go down the order and give a chance to bat Thirimanne....All these atories are telling one thing...No body in Sri Lankan cricket is care about their furture...We miss you..the great Arjuna Ranatunga...If u were there...we would have done all these things..

Dilshan surely is one of the best batsmen SL has ever produced! Wish he will continue to play for SL many more years!

savs
on November 7, 2012, 8:41 GMT

@sahbas_s: Really?, Dilshan scored 190+ in the 2nd test vs Eng in Eng. Highest run scorer in the CB series in Australia this year. One of the highest run scorers in both test series and ODI series vs SA in SA. He has achieved heavily since 2009 when he started opening. Why did you bring up Sehwag?, remember his king pair. He can only make runs in flat small indian pitches.

dilshan got his real oppertunity after 2009 when he was asked to open the innings, similarly jayasuriya also wasted his time from 1989- 1995 til he was asked to open the batting also kaluwitharana from 1992 - 1996 til he was asked to open the batting no one cared about them.... are we going to say the same to thisara perera til 2015 some thing til he is asked to bat up the order? i think upul tharanga has got enough chances,... we need consistancy! for the same reason bhanuka rajapakse is out or yet to make it... GIVE OPPERTUNITIES TO YOUNGSTERS AT THE CORRECT TIME AND MAKE THEM PLAY AT THE DESERVED BATTING POSITION! Y ARE THEY GOING ON WITH HERATH WHEN WE HAVE TWO TEENAGE buddies to bowl spin?

Dru
on November 7, 2012, 7:37 GMT

Yes dont really think of Dilshan as an older player and how many 35+ players will the captain turn to plug the key areas in the field. His batting has been a key base on whick SL has built its one day fortunes. Think he was top scorer in both the WC and CUB series. Doesnt seem to bowl as much these days - wonder if its the two new balls. He is a great one day player but he takes the same attitude test which doesnt pay off all the time. Its great to have guys like Dilshan aroud - brings so much excitment to the game and of part of that bargain will be facing up to the critics for being reckless.

sahir
on November 7, 2012, 7:25 GMT

again a typical subcontinent player with loads of runs in subcon pitches and never ever succeeded in SA/Aus/Eng. MJ ws way better than him in succeeding across the pitches bt MJ ws below par than Sanga. We got to accept he is less effective as compared to home crowns like MJ,Sanga,gambhir,sehwag,yuvi etc.,

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 5:36 GMT

Andrew Fdo, you are absolutely right. Let's hope for another Dilshan for the future cricket.

Cham
on November 7, 2012, 5:21 GMT

impact wise , Dilshan is probably the only guy in SL who can even come close to Jayasuriya in all disciplines; batting, bowling, fielding

Susantha
on November 7, 2012, 4:00 GMT

Dilshan at his best. He is actually like a guy who is in his early twenties at the field. Hope he can continue this form to the Australian tour as he did in CB series.

Surath
on November 7, 2012, 3:16 GMT

Oldest player is the best..Well done Dilly..:)

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 2:19 GMT

One of the best in world cricket today. Since 2009 he has scored 13 ODI hundreds and 14 fifties. 1 T20i hundred and 12 Test Centuries. In 3 years 26 international centuries and countless fifties isn't a small accomplishment!

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 1:26 GMT

Great description of dilshan the cricketer !! very nicely put !! take a bow andrew fernando !! i am FAN now

Chatty
on November 7, 2012, 1:23 GMT

Brilliant inning from Dilshan. After that horrible and unlikely loss to WI in the T20 final, I had forgotten how good Sri Lanka are as a team. Good to see them back in the groove.

No featured comments at the moment.

Chatty
on November 7, 2012, 1:23 GMT

Brilliant inning from Dilshan. After that horrible and unlikely loss to WI in the T20 final, I had forgotten how good Sri Lanka are as a team. Good to see them back in the groove.

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 1:26 GMT

Great description of dilshan the cricketer !! very nicely put !! take a bow andrew fernando !! i am FAN now

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 2:19 GMT

One of the best in world cricket today. Since 2009 he has scored 13 ODI hundreds and 14 fifties. 1 T20i hundred and 12 Test Centuries. In 3 years 26 international centuries and countless fifties isn't a small accomplishment!

Surath
on November 7, 2012, 3:16 GMT

Oldest player is the best..Well done Dilly..:)

Susantha
on November 7, 2012, 4:00 GMT

Dilshan at his best. He is actually like a guy who is in his early twenties at the field. Hope he can continue this form to the Australian tour as he did in CB series.

Cham
on November 7, 2012, 5:21 GMT

impact wise , Dilshan is probably the only guy in SL who can even come close to Jayasuriya in all disciplines; batting, bowling, fielding

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 5:36 GMT

Andrew Fdo, you are absolutely right. Let's hope for another Dilshan for the future cricket.

sahir
on November 7, 2012, 7:25 GMT

again a typical subcontinent player with loads of runs in subcon pitches and never ever succeeded in SA/Aus/Eng. MJ ws way better than him in succeeding across the pitches bt MJ ws below par than Sanga. We got to accept he is less effective as compared to home crowns like MJ,Sanga,gambhir,sehwag,yuvi etc.,

Dru
on November 7, 2012, 7:37 GMT

Yes dont really think of Dilshan as an older player and how many 35+ players will the captain turn to plug the key areas in the field. His batting has been a key base on whick SL has built its one day fortunes. Think he was top scorer in both the WC and CUB series. Doesnt seem to bowl as much these days - wonder if its the two new balls. He is a great one day player but he takes the same attitude test which doesnt pay off all the time. Its great to have guys like Dilshan aroud - brings so much excitment to the game and of part of that bargain will be facing up to the critics for being reckless.

Dummy4
on November 7, 2012, 7:42 GMT

dilshan got his real oppertunity after 2009 when he was asked to open the innings, similarly jayasuriya also wasted his time from 1989- 1995 til he was asked to open the batting also kaluwitharana from 1992 - 1996 til he was asked to open the batting no one cared about them.... are we going to say the same to thisara perera til 2015 some thing til he is asked to bat up the order? i think upul tharanga has got enough chances,... we need consistancy! for the same reason bhanuka rajapakse is out or yet to make it... GIVE OPPERTUNITIES TO YOUNGSTERS AT THE CORRECT TIME AND MAKE THEM PLAY AT THE DESERVED BATTING POSITION! Y ARE THEY GOING ON WITH HERATH WHEN WE HAVE TWO TEENAGE buddies to bowl spin?

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